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Supporters for an architect ousted from the Los Angeles Unified School District committee overseeing the use of bond funds are circulating a petition to get him reinstated.

On Tuesday, about 250 people had signed in support of Stuart Magruder, an outspoken critic of the district's iPad program which is largely funded through school bonds. Last week, school board member Tamar Galatzan moved to take his name off the list of committee members to be renewed.

Magruder argues the $1 billion estimated price tag for Superintendent John Deasy's one-to-one tablet initiative would be better spent on school repairs.

"We need strong watchdogs to safeguard public money so that voters trust that money intended to repair schools will do just that," states the petition, hosted by the K-12 News Network, a Southern California based education blog.

The oversight committee itself is also rallying behind its ousted member. Documents creating the committee set one seat aside for an architect. Its leadership argues the school board does not have the power to remove Magruder from the independent committee since he is the American Institute of Architects' nominee.

The committee is scheduled to discuss further action with legal counsel at it's 10 AM meeting Thursday.